Published: Thursday, September 12, 2013 at 09:12 AM.

The solemn legato of Taps evoked the somber occasion that gave them cause to gather.

Almost 100 first responders from Eastern North Carolina gathered Wednesday at Paradise Point Officer's Club aboard Camp Lejeune to nurture their fellowship in light of the tragedy that struck 12 years ago.

A jovial cocktail hour of laughter and clanking glasses ended with a prayer for the nearly 3,000 Americans who died during the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 — and hundreds were first responders.

“Tonight serves as an opportunity, a duty, to remember, reflect, and never forget one of the most tragic moments any of us will have experienced in our lifetime,” said Brig. Gen. Robert Castellvi, the commanding general of Marine Corps Installations East during the event. “Like our comrades in law enforcement and emergency services, Marines run into the fire.

“We run into the chaos,” he said. “We do it willingly and with honor.”

The general’s speech brought tears to the eyes of many of Onslow County’s finest as he recalled the death toll from that clear September day.

The solemn legato of Taps evoked the somber occasion that gave them cause to gather.

Almost 100 first responders from Eastern North Carolina gathered Wednesday at Paradise Point Officer's Club aboard Camp Lejeune to nurture their fellowship in light of the tragedy that struck 12 years ago.

A jovial cocktail hour of laughter and clanking glasses ended with a prayer for the nearly 3,000 Americans who died during the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 — and hundreds were first responders.

“Tonight serves as an opportunity, a duty, to remember, reflect, and never forget one of the most tragic moments any of us will have experienced in our lifetime,” said Brig. Gen. Robert Castellvi, the commanding general of Marine Corps Installations East during the event. “Like our comrades in law enforcement and emergency services, Marines run into the fire.

“We run into the chaos,” he said. “We do it willingly and with honor.”

The general’s speech brought tears to the eyes of many of Onslow County’s finest as he recalled the death toll from that clear September day.

That day, 2,977 were killed.

On the four planes, 246 would perish. At the World Trade Centers, another 2,606 died. When a third plane struck the Pentagon, 125 more were killed. The New York City Fire Department lost 340 firefighters, a chaplain and two paramedics. The New York City Police Department lost 37 officers.

“I’m in awe of the amazing work each of you do,” Castellvi told the audience. “From literally saving lives, to simply lending a helping hand, you truly make this base and this community a better place for our Marines and sailors and their families to live and work.”

Castellvi credits Eastern North Carolina with being home to “the gold standard” of first responders and described the special kinship between military and civilian entities, he said, because all are “911 responders for the world and the communities we serve.”

For Joe Kennedy, special agent in charge of NCIS, being a first responder demands something larger than yourself, he said.

“It’s nights like tonight that strengthen our brotherhood — by remembering those who have perished before us,” Kennedy said. “We started with a very serious ceremony that caused us all to reflect. We ended that ceremony with a night of fellowship and laughter.

“Those who died — this is what they would want,” he said. “They wouldn’t want us to sit around and fret about what happened yesterday. They’d want us to look forward to tomorrow.”

Part of remembering 9/11, Kennedy said, is remembering your past and being able to celebrate the future.

Part of remembering is learning from the past, he said, because before 9/11, the United States was unprepared for such a tragedy that no one expected could happen.

But the potential next threat looms, he said, and requires preparation.

Eastern North Carolina’s law enforcement and first responders ability to work together is exceptional, said Chief Deputy Boyd Brown of Onslow County Sheriff’s Office.

“As first responders ...we choose to remember because we are one big family and we love each other,” Brown said. “Anybody who’s a part of this family or ours would say the same thing — we’d give our life for one another.”